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| Gomphrena 'Fireworks' with Zinnias |
So here are my views after just over a year of blogging. In the interest of completing my homework as assigned, I'll answer his questions directly and then add some of my own reflections at the end.
Has your blogging experience met your expectations or taken surprising turns into new territory?
Both. (Since the grading of this assignment is apparently quite flexible I fully expect to get away with that answer)
I had been an avid reader of blogs before taking the plunge myself so I had some idea of what to expect. My career as a corporate interior designer also prepared me with plenty of experience in creating presentations. I even learned HTML while in charge of my department's website so there weren't a lot of technical surprises in terms of putting the blog together.
I am surprised by the amount of time I spend on the blog and that's because I enjoy it even more than I expected.
The surprising turn into new territory? I make a lot more U-turns than before and also quick turns along with plenty of braking. A simple trip to run errands can turn into an adventure when I see a possible blog post just about everywhere.
I had been an avid reader of blogs before taking the plunge myself so I had some idea of what to expect. My career as a corporate interior designer also prepared me with plenty of experience in creating presentations. I even learned HTML while in charge of my department's website so there weren't a lot of technical surprises in terms of putting the blog together.
I am surprised by the amount of time I spend on the blog and that's because I enjoy it even more than I expected.
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| Yeya's Antiques and Oddities |
I'm learning to just stop and take the photos. If I hesitate, I remember an agave I may or may not have seen planted on a roof while taking a shortcut one day. It was raining and I was running a little late. Now I have no way to prove what I saw.
The number of photos I take has been a surprise. I expected to take more photos than before, but I had no idea that there would be literally thousands more. Dealing with the large number of photos has been challenging and I've changed the way I file photos several times.
A surprise in writing is finding that a scene from a local parking lot can make a good post while a fun gardening event can be difficult to convey on the blog.
I don't write about design as much as I expected, preferring to use my experiences as background when putting together posts.
What do you find are the best/worst parts of garden blogging for you?
The number of photos I take has been a surprise. I expected to take more photos than before, but I had no idea that there would be literally thousands more. Dealing with the large number of photos has been challenging and I've changed the way I file photos several times.
A surprise in writing is finding that a scene from a local parking lot can make a good post while a fun gardening event can be difficult to convey on the blog.
I don't write about design as much as I expected, preferring to use my experiences as background when putting together posts.
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| Agave Ovatifolia |
So many "bests" to choose from. Sharing this beautiful city as I view it daily and being a tourist in my own town has been fun.
Meeting bloggers across the country and the world is also something I enjoy immensely. When traveling you rarely get to see beyond the fence except in public gardens. Blogging gardeners everywhere are opening the gates to their part of the world for all of us to enjoy.Getting more done in the garden than I might have without the blog is a big positive.
Worst part?
Can't think of a "worst" except for those spam comments which are showing up more and more. Delete, delete, delete.
There are only a few negatives I can think of. The Blogger program is limiting and won't do things I think it should like magazine-style text wrapping. Clunky photo uploading is another bummer. I know there are codes and templates available to improve on that but blogging should be simpler.
A few more reflections....
There are only a few negatives I can think of. The Blogger program is limiting and won't do things I think it should like magazine-style text wrapping. Clunky photo uploading is another bummer. I know there are codes and templates available to improve on that but blogging should be simpler.
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| Monarch |
When I retired I thought it would be fun to be free of deadlines and daily tasks and it is for the most part except I missed the goals and feedback. This blog has been a helpful way to focus and use the things I've learned in different ways. The difference is I get to choose the tasks and the deadlines. It's not a small difference.
Posting about three times a week works out well for me. I admire bloggers who can post everyday.
A lot has been written about the future of blogging. You can't tell a good story in a Facebook post or a tweet. Until no one wants to read beyond 140 characters or see more than one photo on any subject I think blogs will be relevant.
Here's the challenge for those bloggers reading this--go ahead and answer these questions too. It's fun to consider the rewards and challenges of blogging.
Posting about three times a week works out well for me. I admire bloggers who can post everyday.
A lot has been written about the future of blogging. You can't tell a good story in a Facebook post or a tweet. Until no one wants to read beyond 140 characters or see more than one photo on any subject I think blogs will be relevant.
Here's the challenge for those bloggers reading this--go ahead and answer these questions too. It's fun to consider the rewards and challenges of blogging.
Its good to hear your comments. Our Blog turned two a couple of months back and we reflected on the period, although never managed to publish a blog on this (despite starting one). We also have spent much more time in the blog world than we expected and its taken us on some great adventures.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree re the spam though. Some is almost quite clever, but for a lot one wonders if the spammers really expect to get away with it!
You should try to finish the post and share a little of the backstory on how and why you blog. I enjoyed your recent year in review. Wish we could just head over to Paris on a long weekend.
DeleteThe current spam trend requires that we read carefully, some even imbed the link in text so it's tricky.
your insights into your blogging experience is heartwarming. I too think of new posts everywhere I go, and I know that tweets are just not enough to fully appreciate an event. Great Work, by the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and for your nice comment Claudia.
DeleteI liked this comparison: tweets are like cocktail party chit chat; blogs are like deep conversations over dinner.
ReplyDeleteI love a good story and I do enjoy Twitter because it reaches even farther than blogs, the blog is a special way of communicating.
DeleteYou've done a fabulous job of completing your homework and get an A+. My experience has been similar to yours (without any of your computer experience other than reading gardening blogs.) I've been surprised by how many interesting folks around the world who exchange comments with me. I thought that I'd do this blog thing and my family and a few friends might look at my postings; a fun way to share some pictures and thoughts. However, being able to share gardening in January with folks who may be experiencing their summer and also with those whose soil will be frozen solid for months is exhilarating. I've come to appreciate some plants that I didn't particularly care for through reading about and seeing other gardeners' love for and use of them.
ReplyDeleteA+! Woohoo! I enjoyed going into some of this and I'll probably put a few more personal notes in future posts too.
DeleteI started to write about how my view of spiky plants has changed but it went long and I might turn it into a post.
I'd love to see some more posts on these questions from readers too.
For me, one of the rewards of blogging has been finding a community that cares about gardening as much as I do. I can only post once a week, which I'm fine with. I don't follow Twitter and prefer the greater depth that comes with a blog post.
ReplyDeleteYour posts are fun and I read your recent one about developing a gardening group. We have several informal garden groups in San Antonio and I enjoy them quite a bit so I hope that works out for you.
DeleteI might do a post on our "garden club" sometime but mostly I'm too busy visiting and learning about plants to take notes and pictures.
Hello, I found you through Blotanical, thought I'd take the challege you set here so I will answer the questions too - but not here, like you I also need more than 140 characters to express myself. Needless to say I am not a twitter and hardly ever to be found on Facebook. But blogging has given me a new aspect to posting on 14 year old website. Good topic, funny to seee how many similar experienses we have, my reflections can be found on a post sometime in the near future. I write long posts and don't post more than 1-2 times per week.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Helene. Please let us know when you post.
DeleteI have found Twitter to be a fun way to exchange interesting links and quick comments. Most gardeners use it to send out links to longer articles. Sulia is another site I'm watching to see if I want to join.
I love to hear the reasons why people start blogging, but I love most of all that everyone mentions what a great community garden bloggers are. I feel the same way. I have yet to actually meet anyone in person, but just getting to know them through their pages has been so informational and helpful, and fun! I enjoyed hearing about your blogging experience. I chuckled a bit at the number of photos you now take. It's amazing to me that I can take so many photos of one little bud - then take just as many photos of the same bud a few days later, because it looks just a little differently!
ReplyDeleteDaily treks in the garden with the camera can be fun. The blog does help me see my garden in more detail and more critically.
DeleteIt's fun meeting other bloggers, I think the closest bloggers to you might be in the Dallas area which isn't all that close. You are such a long drive from here too, if we do head that way I'll certainly let you know and the same if you are ever in San Antonio.
I enjoyed reading your why...and I can totally relate. I like your challenge and I kind of answered those questions in my last post, so I'll just link that -
ReplyDeletehttp://xericstyle.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/xericstyle-is-1-a-review/
I think it is productive to look at the why....reflections are so important ...
Cheers Shirley - great post!
That was an excellent post about how you and your family are growing right along with the garden Heather. Your story of bringing a neglected house and yard back to life in a modern way is inspiring.
DeleteI'm glad you linked here and recommend it as an inspiring read.
I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on blogging and found myself agreeing with everything you said! Besides the amazing community, which I feel so fortunate to be a part of both here in Portland and nation/world wide, one fo the greatest gifts of blogging for me is how I look at the world around me now. I notice so much more than I ever did before, there is so much natural beauty around us everyday. Yet so many people never manage to see it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you think blogging is here to stay, and yes! What is up with the spam...it has gotten so much worse the last few months!
It is a great community and seeing more of what is around you is just one of the perks of blogging.
DeleteShirley, I agree with your thoughts on the difficulty of presenting a fun gardening event in a blog post. I always have that issue. Plus, I find that the photos I take on garden tours are usually not that great because I'm so distracted and not taking the time to enjoy (I guess). Anyway, good questions and good post. Happy new year and hope to see you again soon!
ReplyDeleteGarden tours and events are especially challenging because I also sometimes forget to take photos of my favorite scenes.
DeleteI enjoyed meeting you too and maybe we can plan another meetup in 2013.
Very interesting commentary, and I agree with what you said. The down side for me is so much more time sitting in front of the computer being inactive. You should have a WordPress blog. I never get any spam except in the spam file which I review and delete about once a week.
ReplyDeleteI have to sometimes make of point of getting out and actually gardening now and not just writing about it.
DeleteIf I get more serious I might consider switching or even hosting my own. Right now the excessive spam seems to have cropped up suddenly and it is disguised as regular comments so maybe Blogger is working on it.
I find there is enough time in the day to blog, or garden. The garden is now claiming some blog time.
ReplyDeleteAre you 'reporting as spam' to help the spam filters going forward?
Not a fan of daily posts - I'd rather read a post from 5 different bloggers, than 5 from the same person.
I think magazine style text wrapping is possible, but after battling HTML, I find it easier to centre my images - then I can concentrate on taking and choosing images, and crafting words. I don't need the techie headaches.
That's a good point Diana. Five different posts a week rather than five from the same and I think it depends on the blog. There are several I read who are quite good at daily postings and they always have excellent content with a variety of subjects.
DeleteI've been playing with HTML codes I've found on the net and they aren't working right for me. It might be too much to expect a free site to have those features. I should report the spam comments. They are cleverly disguised and not mass generated so I haven't been reporting but I will.
I enjoyed reading your thoughts on blogging. I've written about blogging several times over the years, and as you say, it comes down to being a fantastic creative outlet, a way to connect with other gardeners, and you learn so much as you become more observant about the world around you. Plus, it can lead to professional opportunities I'd never dreamed of. Next month will mark my 7th year of blogging, and I'm not tired of it yet.
ReplyDeleteDigging was the first I read regularly because your approach to gardening in central Texas is just what I need. I'm glad you are not tired of it because I still enjoy reading Digging.
DeleteCongratulations on seven years and your first book coming out next month.
Blogging is a creative outlet for me, a way to share my passion for gardening and all the little creatures that call my garden home. I also enjoy the connection to other gardeners and picture taking fanatics. I've truly learned that every season has beauty, you just have to look for it. BTW, Blogger has a great spam filter. It is a rare occasion that one leaks through to my comments.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful connection and creative outlet and just what I needed after retiring from such a busy career.
DeleteThe spam seems to have stopped so they filter may have adjusted.
I enjoyed reading your comments about blogging! My blog is three years old now, and I have been surprised all along the way. Unlike you, I had no technical knowledge and had never read a single blog until I started blogging. Talk about a learning curve! But it has been very rewarding and a lot of fun. Happy blogging in 2013!
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, we lived in Alabama for a while and it was one of my favorite places to garden because so much will grow so easily there.
DeleteI am impressed at what you have accomplished with the standing start you had! I enjoyed your post on the yaupon, one the favorite basics in my garden.
Hi - I'm coming up to my 5th blogging anniversary and it certainly has been a roller coaster. I have met lots of other Uk bloggers, some of them have remained friends outside of blogging, some not. I have been invited to events that I would never have had access to before, I get offered lots of things to review although most of it I decline. I have over the past 3.5 years been on twitter, I was an early user but it has lost its charm for me in recent months, as you say there is only so much you can convey in 140 characters and it is just unfulfilling. I have reverted back to my blog and am giving it more love and care than before. It is my window into the gardening world so it needs a good clean from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed your first year and may you have many more
Five years is quite a while compared to my 15 months. I'll be looking for your new blog posts and refreshed viewpoint in the near future.
DeleteThank you, I plan to keep going for a while. Twitter for me is a way to link up my posts with followers there and see other articles exchanged by those I follow. I mostly link my posts on Facebook rather than writing new content there.
I enjoyed reading your comments on blogging, and agreed with many of them. One to add is how much I've learned about plants and animals in my area. I enjoy blogging so much, and have lamented many times that I can't find someone to pay me to have this much fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks, that is an important one. In my one year post back in October I wrote about how much more I have learned in this year of blogging so I tried to cover different ground here. Of course, this post has encouraged such a great discussion I might have combined them more.
DeleteI can relate to everything you say there. And the photos, yes I've used my camera more in the last year than ever before. I've also found that whenever the world news reports on severe weather conditions, I'm off visiting the local blogs to see what really is happening in that part of the world, and to check that my blogging friends are okay too.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great point, for example, I have followed Bernie in Australia as she rebuilt her garden after a typhoon. Drought and fire damage has been extensive over the last few years in our own Southwest US region and blogs have shown us just how deep the devastation has been.
Delete